Lens-blocking machine



H. W. HILL.

LENS BLOCKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man JAN. as. 1919.

w m I w\\ \EJD fiwli i a a F [ELI INVENTOR HARRY W. HILL.

MM WW ATTORNEYS HARRYW. HILL, or soUTHBR nen, MAss onUsErrs,nssieN-on TO AMERICAN OPTICAL COMPANY, or SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A VOLUNTARY Asso CIA'IION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

LENS-BLOCKING- MAGHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. May 9; 1922,

Applicationfiled January 18, 1919. Se ria1.No..271,S74. I

T 0 aZZ whom 2'23 may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY W. I-IILL, a citizen of the United States, residing 'at Southbridge, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lens-Blocking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates tonew and useful improvements in. blocking machines, and more particularly to lensrblocking machines. Themain object of the present invention is the provision of a machine of the above character whereby thelens blanks are correctly positioned within thegrinding lap prior to their insertion within the grinding machine.

to; the block 011 which the-lens is. tobe attached.

It'is well knownin the art of grinding lenses that the lens. blank isfirstattached to what is known as a block, said lens being attached-thereto through the medium of pitch, Canadian balsam, or any similar adhesive,

- prior to the grinding operation, and one of the main objects of this invention is theprovision of a machine particularly adapted for positioning upon the block what is known in the art as bifocal lenses. Lenses being blocked by this machine are positioned within the block in a tilted position to correspond with the grinding tool of the grinding machine whereby the segments of the lenses will be disposed intheir correct positions before the grinding operationis carried out.. With the above and other objectsin-view,

the invention consists in the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully set forth pointedoutin the claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in,-

Figure I is a side elevation of a blocking,

taken on the line.III?II I of; Figure I.

In thegeneral; construction of my-improved machine I provide a base member 1 having attached thereto the upright standard 2 and a block?) to which is attached an upright socket 4L adapted to receive the. stem 5 of the lens block 6. In the present instance the block 6Ihas'been shown of the concave type and having attached thereto a lens 7,-but it will be understood that different forms of blocks may be used in connection'with the machine. The standard 2 isprovidedwith a curved arm 8 at the upper end thereof, at

the outer endof whichv is formed a sleeve 9 throughwhich operates a vertical, shaft 10. Extending at right angles to; the standard 2 at a point adjacentthe upper; end thereof is a guide arm lllhaving formed'at its. outer end a sleeve12 adapted to be arranged in whereby to receive the lower end of the shaft longitudinal alinement. with the sleeve 9 i 10. This sleeve 12, as illustrated,.isfof the split type and provided upon one side there of w1th.:the ears l3 securely clamped together by. means of thebQlt 14.

. The shaft 10 which isreciprocated through theguidesleevesS- and 12. is provided at its lower end with a blocking member 15st .a

circumferential type which is. formed with a recei'vingpocket' 16 upon its lower face adapted to'receive the head 17 of the .plunger 18. This plunger 18 is mounted for reciprocating movementwithin the socket 19 formed within the lower. end of the shaft- 10. In order that the head, 17 may be normally disposed in. position in advance of. the head;

15 I provide a coil spring 20 which is disposed. between the inner end of the socket 19 and the plunger 18 whereby to normally retain the plunger in a projected position. The plunger is provided with a-longitudinal slot 21 preferably arranged at the central I portion of the, plunger and adapted toreceive a cross pin 22 carried by the shaft 10 whereby to limit the reciprocating movement of the plunger.

a reciprocating movement to, the. shaft 10 larged portion. 23 having formed therein a In order to provide. means. for imparting.

transverse opening 24 through which extends a shaft 25, said shaft extending .transe versely through the standard and .out

rough the a i g sl e-2 a d a g attached to its outer endan operating lever.

2 Meunted unon th sha t 2. nd ha ing its inner end disposed within the open ing 24& is an arm 28 which extends outwardly toward the shaft 10 and isprovided at its outer end with parallel arranged spaced arms 29 adapted to be disposed upon opposite sides of the shaft 10 and provided with slots 30 to receive the projecting ends of the pin 22 whereby to loosely connect the shaft 10 with these arms 29 whereby upon rotation of the shaft 25 the arm 28 will be raised and lowered and thus impart movement to the shaft 10 through the medium of the arms 29.

In order to normally retain the shaft 10 in a raised position I provide a coil spring 31, the upper end of which is attached to a perforated ear 32 formed on the arm 8, while the other end extends down through an opening 33 in the arm 11 and is attached to a cross pin 34: which extends between the two arms 29. From this it will be apparent that when the lever 27 is operated to reciprocate the shaft 10 in a downward movement, the-spring 3i will be placed under tension so that when the lever is released, the tension of the spring will return the shaft 1.0 to its normal raised position.

Particular attention is hereby called to the fact that the lower faces of the block 15 and head 17 are slightly inclined so that when they contact with the lens 7 the lens will be moved to an inclined position with respect to the block 6. In the operation of my improved blocking machine the block 6 is first placed in position beneath the reciprocating shaft 10 and a coat of pitch or other adhesive applied to the upper face thereof. The lens 7 is then placed upon the upper face of the block and the shaft 10 reciprocated by means of the lever 27 so as to bring the head 17 into contact with the upper face of the lens which will tend to hold the lens in position until the block 15 is brought into contact with the same whereby further pressure of the block through the medium of the lever 27 will tion upon the face of the block tend to securely press the lens 7 into posi- 6, and as the lower faces of the block 15 and head 17 are slightly inclined the lens 7 will be slightly tilted or disposed at an inclined position with respect to the block. After the lens has been properly positioned within the block 6 the hand lever 27 is released and the coil spring 31 returns the shaft 10 to its normally arranged position while the plunger head 17 will be projected again through the medium of the coil spring 20.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be readily apparent that I have provided a lens-blocking machine whereby the lenses of the bifocal type are correctly positioned within the grinding lap before helog placed in the grinding machine, and by having the blocking tools provided with inclined faces, it will tend to position the lenses within the lap so as to bring them into correct grinding position with respect to the grinding tool.

I claim:

1.. A lens blocking machine including a frame, a movable. shaft carried thereby, a blocking member carried by the shaft, a plunger mounted for reciprocating move ment within the shaft, a head carried by said plunger and normally disposed in advance of the blocking member, means to support a lens block in opposition to the shaft and means for imparting a reciprocating movement to said shaft and plunger, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A lens blocking machine including a vertical movable shaft, a blocking member carried thereby, a plunger mounted for reciprocating movement within the shaft,a head carried by the plunger and normally disposed in advance of the blocking member, a coil spring arranged within the shaft and disposed between the end of the plunger and a portion of the shaft to normally retain said plunger in an advanced positiomand means for imparting a reciprocating movement to the shaft and plunger, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A lens blocking machine including a vertical reciprocating shaft having a central bore, blocking member carried by the shaft having a tapering lower face, a plunger mounted within the bore of the shaft,'a head carried by the plunger and normally disposed in advance of the blocking memher, said head being provided with an inclined lower face corresponding with the lower face of the blocking member, yield-' ing means disposed within the bore of the shaft and bearing against the end of the plunger for normally retaining the head in advanced position, and means for imparting 110 reciprocating movement to said shaft and plunger, as and for the purpose set forth.

a. A lens blocking device includinga lens block support, and a plunger in alinement therewith, said plunger having a head for 115 engagement with the lens formed with its contacting face disposed at an oblique angle to the direction of reciprocation of the plunger for tiltingly blocking a lens, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. A lens blocking machine including a frame, a reciprocating shaft carried thereby, a blocking member atone end of the shaft, a reciprocating plunger carried by the shaft, a head on the lower end of the plunger, a 125 transverse shaft carried by the frame, means forming a connection between the transverse shaft and the vertical shaft and plunger, and means for actuating the transverse shaft to impart a downward movement to the 130 shaft and plunger, and additional means for therein, a reciprocating plunger mounted within the bore, a head carried by the plunger and normally disposed in advance of the blocking member, a transverse pin extending through the shaft and plunger and the plunger having a slot in which the pin operates, and means connected with the pin whereby downward movement may be imparted to the shaft and plunger, and additional means for returning theshaft and plunger'to their normal raised position.

7 A lens blocking machine including a lens block support, a lens steadying member for holding a lens in position on the block,

and a lens pressingmemberhavingi its contacting portion angularly disposed with respect to the block to press the lens into tilted relation to the block, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY W..H1LL; s

Witnesses:

H. E. COLEMAN, 7 ESTHER M. LAFLEIL; 

